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Hugh Grant makes brutal complaint about romcom co-star Drew Barrymore

‘I don’t think she’d mind me saying it,’ actor said

Jacob Stolworthy
Saturday 18 March 2023 07:47 EDT
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Hugh Grant mocks Drew Barrymore’s ‘horrendous’ singing in Music & Lyrics

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Hugh Grant did not hold back when asked a question about one of his past films.

The actor, who is promoting new fantasy film Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, recalled his time on Music & Lyrics during a new interview.

The actor co-starred with Drew Barrymore in the romcom as washed-up pop star Alex Fletcher, who is hired to write a chart-topping hit for a teenage pop star (Haley Bennett).

Barrymore plays Sophie Fisher, the songwriter that Grant’s character is teamed up with. During the film, they regularly sing the songs they’re writing, which Grant said required auto-tuning.

Speaking to Wired for a segment in which he answered “the web’s most-searched questions”, Grant was asked: “Does Hugh Grant actually sing in Music & Lyrics?”

He replied: “Yes, well I do, but I’m auto-tuned beyond belief.

“Actually, that's not true – I'm auto-tuned a bit, but not as much as some,” he continued, stating: “Drew Barrymore was in that film with me and I don't think she'd mind me saying her singing is just horrendous.”

He quipped: “I've heard dogs bark better than she sings.”

Grant said Barrymore improved “once they tuned her up” and that “she sounded way better than me 'cause she's got heart and voice and rock ‘n’ roll.”

Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant in ‘Music & Lyrics’
Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant in ‘Music & Lyrics’ (Castle Rock Ent/Warner Bros/Kobal/Shutterstock)

Days later, Barrymore responded to Grant’s comments on Instagram.

Elsewhere, Grant highlighted a subtle “in-joke” featured in the final shot of 1999 film Notting Hill, which he branded “nauseating”.

Grant was accused of “obnoxious” behaviour after a “disastrous” red carpet interview with model Ashley Graham at the Oscars on Sunday (12 March).

Graham later responded to the furore after being asked about the chat by a TMZ reporter.

Grant’s new film, Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, is out in cinemas on 31 March.

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